Salok Vaaraan Te Vadheek (Mehl 1), Salok 31 — The Wise Live On While Life Slips Away
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
No one lives long enough to be satisfied, and no one leaves having done all they wished.
Only the wise live forever; they are honored for their awareness.
Bit by bit, life slips away, even while we try to hold it back.
Nanak says: who can we complain to? Death takes life away without asking anyone.
No one lives long enough to finish every wish. Yet the wise live in a way that feels timeless.
raj na ko-ee jeevi-aa — no one has lived until they were full and done. We all leave some wishes unfinished. But gi-aanee jeevai sadaa sadaa — the gi-aanee, the wise one, lives forever. They are honored for surtee, being awake and aware.
Meanwhile, life slips away sarfai sarfai, bit by bit, even while we try to hold on. It is like sand running through your fingers. The tighter you squeeze, the faster it seems to go.
The last line asks who we can complain to. Death takes each life in its own time, without asking anyone. What lasts is the awareness of the wise.
What would it mean to live today awake and aware?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI